Thursday, October 10, 2002

Here’s an interesting article from The Onion AV Club, where they asked different celebrities the question “Is there a God?” It’s an eclectic selection too, including but not limited to Conan O’Brien, Jason Schwartzman, Chuck Palahniuk, Andy Richter, Stan Lee, Steven Wright, Elmore Leonard, Suzanne Vega, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Michael Moore, Todd Solondz, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Joss Whedon and William Shatner. As you can expect, the answers are just as eclectic, and even surprising. Who would’ve thought that Chuck Palahniuk, writer of Fight Club, Survivor, Invisible Monsters, Choke, and the new Lullaby, believed in God? And Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, matter-of-factly doesn’t?

Thanks also to The Onion AV Club, I found out about these 3 books, all of which I want (remember, Christmas is coming!): Chuck Palahniuk’s Lullaby, Michael Ondaatje’s The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film, and Michael Chabon’s Summerland. I’m a big fan of Palahniuk’s work, and have been looking forward to Lullaby, which is about a song that kills. David Fincher, who directed the brilliant film adaptation of Palahniuk’s Fight Club, is interested in making a film out of Lullaby as well. Walter Murch is one of the legendary editors, having worked on The Conversation and The Godfather Trilogy among others. It’s interesting that Michael Ondaatje should write this book, because you don’t really associate him with film, being the writer of such books as The English Patient, Anil’s Ghost, etc. Finally, Michael Chabon, whose Pulitzer Prize-winning The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is one of my favorite books of all time. It was a gift from Neva, and she’s been taking ice ages reading it. It’s been with her longer than it’s been with me.